I have been writing about the grandmothers in our family tree since August of 2012. Beginning with "A is for Anna" each entry introduced you to a different grandmother. Telling the Grandmother stories was a fun way to share my research with family and friends. Now I am looking at our Revolutionary War ancestors, their service records, the story of their families and of course the stories of their wives, our grandmothers. After all, "Who's Your Grammie?" is about our grandmothers!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Valentine Miller (1754 - 1834)

The lives of Valentine and Susanna Miller were two of the first ancestor stories that I uncovered when I first begin researching family history. Their daughter Elizabeth married John Houck whose Bible I found in my grandparent's attic. The quest to find Elizabeth's parents soon led to the discovery of Valentine Miller in the family tree.

He was a young man of about 22 years when he was drafted into service. Military records show that he served two different terms as a Revolutionary War Soldier.

The Pennsylvania Archives 5th Series shows service as a Private (5th Class), 1st Battalion, 1st
Company, Northampton County Militia. The 1st Battalion in Northampton Co. was formed in Williams and Lower Saucon Townships. Col. George Hubler was the officer in charge. Capt. Joseph Frey was head of the Battalion.

The inscription on the brass plate at his grave site in the Old Union Cemetery in Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton Co, PA states he served as a Private in the 3rd
Battalion, 8th Company, Northampton Militia.

Valentine Miller married Susanna Laubach sometime around 1778. Susanna Laubach was the daughter of Johann Georg Laubach and his wife Margretha. She was born November 27, 1756. Her baptism record on December 13, 1756 is found in Tohickon Union Church, Bedminster Twp, Bucks Co, PA. Also found on page 893 of the "History of Bucks County": Susanna, wife of Valentine Miller, the eldest child of John George Laubach. Her birth date in these records differs slightly from that given on her tombstone. This is often the case when records have been transcribed from the old German script in which they were first written.

At the close of the Revolutionary War, Valentine moved his family north from Williams Township to Lower Mount Bethel, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Property ownership is evidenced in the record of Land Warrants for Northampton Co., Pa. 1752 - 1886. Copied from the Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Vol.26

Valentine and Susanna became the parents of 10 children. Their daughter Elizabeth married John Houck and had a daughter Anna who married John McEwen. The McEwen Family of Richmond, Pennsylvania are descendents.

Valentine Miller lived to be 79 years old. The following document at Easton PA. Orphan's Court record Vol. 12, page 128, Aug. 22 1834. "Valentine Miller died intestate sometime in the month of April 1834 leaving a widow named Susanna and some ten children to wit George (the petitioner), Michael, Barnet, Joseph, Jacob, John, Elizabeth intermarried with John Houck, Catherine intermarried with Jacob Albert, Eve intermarried with John Reiser, Susanna intermarried with John Weinberg and the issue of Margaret, deceased who was the wife of Christian Schick and who died before her father, to wit, Valentine, Christian, Samuel and Rebecca."

Susanna Miller is buried in the Old Union Cemetery in Upper Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania. The inscription on the gravestone reads "Susanna Miller, wife of Valintine Miller was born 7 November 1757 and died 5th of January 1837 She was 79 years, 2 months and 28 days old."